The Music of Don Gillis II; Bandstand in the park

You're listening to music by Don give us and this is Don Gill is your host on this microphonic session who welcomes you to program number nine of our series brought to you each week by the national educational radio network. And as I told you last week we're going to gather around the bandstand in the park to hear music written especially for the band. For a long time the band didn't have a very sizeable literature of its own but the last two generations of American composers and a tremendous growth in the numbers of bands has changed all this. My publisher friends tell me that in 1064 alone for instance over 600 new works were published were banned. And if you figure this is an average for the past 10 years well you can imagine the tremendous number of compositions which are now available for a band. Of course one can't expect to find even the smallest percentage of them works of art yet is it reasonable to believe that out of all of this effort there will gradually materialize a repertoire as solidly conceived and as artistically valid as the literature which now exists for symphony orchestra. Unfortunately the bands

themselves are still not accepted by the musically elite as quote artistic performance units in the same way say as the symphony orchestra is. But that too will change when conductors and composers bring the maturity to podium and score along with the real dignity and purpose to the band's artistic life. Now all of this talk wasn't even necessary to get down to the spot where I announced the first number. But I do like to express opinions now and then and perhaps my words will cause you to think a bit more appreciatively about this indigenous art form the band which has developed so unobtrusively in our midst that most of us neglect thinking about its merits if indeed we ever consider it as a musical unit at all. End of editorial as it were and now beginning of music. And while I hasten to say that I do not set myself up as the great voice of American band music I do write for a band and I do respect the band and right now I'd like to have you enjoy in my band music with me beginning with this March we're about to hear called the Eunice trout.

Yes.

Thank.

Us. Disc. Disc. Us. The unit strap March played by the National High School band of Interlochen conducted by the president of the American Band masters Association Dr. George C. Wilson. Music by Don give us continues now with a short tone poem played for us by the University of Indiana band conducted by Dr. Ronald Gregory. It's title moon mist. Was. Saying.

The. Thing.

With. The music was Moon mist played by the University of Indiana band with Dr. Ronald Gregory conducting. Our own give us all band concert continues now with

music played by still another university band the University of Illinois band conducted by Everett kissing the score we're going to hear came into being as a result of the commission to celebrate the centennial of the state of Colorado. It was originally conceived as a symphony for a band but because of the commission titles and subtitles were added to the music. If I suggest to you that it is my third symphony for a band you will hear it with one attitude. But if I tell you what the title has been along with the individual movement titles you will hear it in still another way. And so just as an experiment I'm not going to say anything more except that we will now hear a four movement work for a band written by Don Gere was played for us by the University of Illinois regimental bands conducted by Everett Kissinger. You're.

You're.

Hey hey. Hey. Hey.

Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. It was. A I am.

A I am. A. Why.

Will.

And. When.

THE BORG. Thank. You.

With. The music you have just heard written on the occasion of the centennial of the state of Colorado and commissioned by Dr. Robert Hawkins was performed for us by the regimental bands of the University of Illinois conducted by Everett Kissinger. The music originally conceived as my third symphony for a band has had as its pre-publication title saga of a pioneer next week we're going to hear two works for orchestra in my symphonic poem The Alamo and the slogan from my symphony number five. I hope you can join us. Music by Don Gillis is produced for the national educational radio network by Riverdale productions and is directed by Keith Donaldson. This is Don Gillis saying thanks for listening and so long until next week. This is the national educational radio network.